Reviewed by Jeremy Haken
I would like to call your attention to a new book by UK-based journalist Nicholas Shaxson called “Treasure Islands: Tax Havens and the Men Who Stole the World.
(US Edition, Treasure Islands: Uncovering the Damage of Offshore Banking and Tax Havens, scheduled for release April 12, 2011)
Mr. Shaxson plunges the reader into the world of tax havens, describing how, ?Offshore connects the criminal underworld with the financial elite, the diplomatic and intelligence communities with multinational companies.? He also explains in some detail how tax havens undermine development efforts in poor countries around the world.
The theme of Treasure Islands, how tax havens and other jurisdictions promote financial secrecy, is central to Task Force efforts to create more transparency in global finance. While the allied organizations of the Task Force have their specific areas of expertise and focus, ultimately our motivation is the same, our challenges universal. Combating a global problem like tax havens and financial secrecy requires the consistent and coordinated efforts of a global network like ours.
Mr. Shaxson?s book has been acclaimed by several major media outlets and I?ve included the links to a few of the write-ups below. Also, if you are in the Washington, DC area, there will be a briefing with Nicholas Shaxson at the National Press Club on Tuesday, April 12, 2011, from 9:00 to 11:00 am. Capacity is limited so please RSVP to me if you would like to attend. I will be attending and would enjoy meeting as many of you as possible.
I hope you all get a chance to read and enjoy the book as much as I did.
All the best,
Jeremy Haken
Allied Organization Outreach Coordinator / Research Associate
Task Force on Financial Integrity and Economic Development
jhaken@financialtaskforce.org
The Guardian ? http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/jan/22/treasure-islands-tax-havens-shaxson-review
The Guardian OpEd ? http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/feb/07/tax-city-heist-of-century
Financial Times ? http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/356fa22a-1f56-11e0-8c1c-00144feab49a.html#axzz1GreKu7Mn
Evening Standard ? http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/lifestyle/book/article-23913958-the-great-offshore-robbery-in-treasure-islands.do